By Henry Neondo Use of contraceptives has sharply risen in Africa than ever before and this is mostly among married but sexually active women, a report by FP2030 reveals. The latest FP2030 Measurement Report took a deep dive into 15 African countries, namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda,…
As Dr. Sanginga bows out of IITA
By Dr. Godwin Atser On 01 November 2011, history was made— a little-known son of Africa would take over perhaps the largest agricultural research institute on the African Continent. That person was Dr. Emmanuel Nteranya Sanginga, who would become the first African-born Director General of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria. Before…
Africa CDC launches mental health strategy
The Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) launched the Africa CDC Non-Communicable diseases and injuries prevention and control and mental health promotion strategy (2022-26). The strategy is informed by the need to enhance continental capacity to produce and apply contextually relevant research for Africa-led mental health priorities. The strategy was launched during…
COP27: Will flooding in Nigeria, Southern Africa sway delegates on loss and damage?
Olalekan Adekola (York St John University, UK) and Faith Chan (University of Nottingham, China) The 2012 flooding that swept through Nigeria was regarded as the worst in the recent history of the most populous country in Africa. This incident affected over 7 million people and led to the destruction of assets worth over US$9.5 billion. However,…
World Malaria Day 2022 Official Statement
By H.E. Minata Samate Cessouma Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, African Union Commission The African Union Commission joins the world to commemorate World Malaria Day 2022 under the theme “Advance Equity. Build Resilience. End Malaria” as we all strive to meet the global goal to eradicate malaria by 2030. I am…
BASICS model, the new seed system approach that Nigeria needs to transform cassava
Nigeria, the largest producer of cassava in the world, needs to adopt a new seed system approach to compete globally and keep the price of cassava-based foods stable and affordable in the country, experts have said. Speaking at a media parley at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) on Wednesday, Prof Lateef Sanni, the…
Bayer develops herbicides for cassava to tackle weeds and raise yields
Bayer has developed and launched a new crop protection product known as Lagon to help farmers tackle the problem of weeds in cassava and raise yield. Tested on more than 200 trials and demos across Nigeria and Tanzania, Lagon was rated among the top best preemergence herbicides for control of both grasses and broad-leaf weeds…
African governments adopt pro-equity strategies for women, children, and adolescents to accelerate COVID-19 recovery
By Adelyn Wangusi COVID-19 pandemic continues to devastate women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health in Africa, governments leaders from Nigeria, South Africa, Liberia, Kenya, and Malawi said at today’s Lives in the Balance: Equity in COVID-19 Response and Recovery meeting, more than 1,000 participants from around world. The two-day Lives in the Balance meeting was…